Legal Aid NSW offices will be closed from Monday 23 December 2024 and will reopen on Monday 6 January 2025. During this time you can contact LawAccess NSW via web chat or by calling 1300 888 529. See Christmas closedown 2024–25 for more information.
11 Jun 2021
The Legal Aid NSW Board has approved a new Criminal Law guideline to ensure that Aboriginal women are represented in the Local Court.
The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) found that the number of women being imprisoned in NSW over the past six years has increased by 50%. Research shows this is mostly affecting Aboriginal women, whose imprisonment rate has increased by 74% compared with a 40% increase by non-Aboriginal women. These figures are not a consequence of Aboriginal women committing more serious offences. Rather, the high incarceration rates appear to be a consequence of over-policing.
Under the Legal Aid NSW Aboriginal Client Services Initiative 2018-19, one of the proposals was to include Aboriginal women as an exception to the risk of gaol eligibility requirement in the Local Court Criminal Law Policy. The purpose of the policy change is to ensure representation for Aboriginal women where they would otherwise not be eligible, for example, where there is no risk of gaol.
When applying Crime policy 2.2.3 Local Court matters, Legal Aid NSW will be satisfied there are exceptional circumstances where the applicant for legal aid is an Aboriginal woman.
This will include:
See Policy Online for details of:
The change applies to applications determined on or after 15 June 2021.
Email Aideen McGarrigle from Client Eligibility Unit or phone 02 9219 5701.
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. By clicking OK, you agree to our cookie policy.
Share with
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn